Stoke City hope Charlie Adam will be fit in two or three weeks to pick up his comeback where he left off under Nathan Jones.

Adam had not started a league game in eight months before Jones replaced Gary Rowett as manager earlier this month - and then produced two influential performances sitting deep in central midfield, including a rousing 2-1 win over Championship leaders Leeds.

He was ruled out of last weekend's clash with Preston, however, when he suffered a calf problem in the final minutes of training on the previous day. It was bad timing and Stoke missed him as they rejigged the line-up, with Sam Clucas moving inside and Josh Tymon filling in at left-back in a 2-0 defeat.

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Adam had a scan on Monday and the verdict means he should be back in training in mid-February hoping to play a big part in Stoke's run in.

Charlie Adam missed last weekend's clash with Preston after an injury in training.

It is a major turnaround for a player who thought his future would lie elsewhere after this month.

He admitted after the Leeds game: “The club had made their mind up that it probably looked like it would be best for everyone if we went different ways.

“I accepted that but obviously when a manager changes you’re hoping that the new one comes in and takes to your fancy or likes the way you play. Listen, it’s two games that the manager’s come in and you need to perform to stay in the team.

“There are lads sat there, not even in the squad, who are hoping for an opportunity too so you have to keep performing and keep winning games. It makes it easier for the manager to pick the team.”

Charlie Adam made his first Stoke City league start in eight months in a 2-1 win over Leeds. (Image: Leanne Bagnall)

The 33-year-old, who joined Stoke from Liverpool in 2012, is out of contract in the summer.

He said: “Performances will dictate what happens next. It’s not my decision, it’s the club’s and the manager’s. My contract is up in the summer so I’m playing for my future.

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“If I can play well enough to earn a new contract here, great, but let’s just take it a game at a time. I’m enjoying it and it’s nice to actually enjoy a Saturday playing rather than watching.

“It’s been hard and it’s important that I’ve tried to stay as fit as I can. I’ve obviously played a couple of under-23s games but playing on a Saturday in front of a crowd is what it’s all about. The more games I play the better I’ll become."